The offensive forward flies in to join Devils this morning and goes straight into the team for Friday’s Elite League ice hockey clash with Belfast Giants in Northern Ireland.

Devils coach Andrew Lord has been thinking about adding an extra forward for some time and then moved quickly when the time was right.

Tahtinen has been added to the team as an extra import player.

He is likely to play at centre and his arrival eases the pressure on Brent Walton, whose wife is expecting their child.

Devils also have a heavy fixture schedule over the next two months including six games in nine days at one stage.

They are still in the running for three trophies - League title, Challenge Cup plus play-offs - and this weekend take on two of their major rivals.

Devils follow the match in Belfast by playing Sheffield Steelers at home on Sunday.

Lord has stressed that the arrival of Tahtinen does not mean there will be other changes in the team and nobody will be leaving the club.

“This has nothing to do with performances and everything to do with a heavy schedule of matches,” said Lord. “We thought long and hard about the decision. Markku is a player we targeted last summer. He played with Carl Hudson in Germany two years ago and I played against him in the same season.

“We’ve had other reports on Markku is a man and a player. He is a great person who will fit into our group. Markku will most likely fit in through the middle, but we’ll see how that develops.

“He has a good work ethic and is a positive guy who wants to be part of a team who will be do everything possible to win.

“Nobody from our team will be going anywhere. Every player is needed. This is the best team any of us have been a part of in as a group of guys. We move forward together - and Markku has joined the group.

“I must thank Steve King and the other team owners. There have been no barriers at all. Neil Francis and I told them about Markku and how he will help the team and they said ‘go for it’.

“This gives us a lift as we prepare for a tough run of fixtures.”

Tahtinen joins the Devils from Beibarys Atyrau in Kazakstan.

He has played in seven different leagues during his career - in Finland, Germany, Czech Republic, Denmark, Sweden, Italy and Kazakhstan.

The 36-year-old Finn played two seasons for ESV Kaufbeuren in Germany where, during 2012-13, he was in the same team as Hudson.

He led the team in scoring with seven goals and 36 assists for 43 points in 45 games. Last season Tahtinen fired 11 goals and 37 assists for 48 points in 49 games.